Vehicle searchlight mounting



July 10, 1928.

W. VAN GUILDER I VEHICLE SEARCHLIGHTMOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet Filedl Jan. v24, 1925 Patented July 10, 1928,.

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, vl l I t? i *1li WALTEYRVAN GUIL'DEE or CHrCAeo, rLIiiivoIs, Assienoit vcro STEWART-WARNER srnnnoivrnrnn CORPORATION, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS', A conrois'afrioiq or vin;

GINIAj ,Application `liled January l The purpose of this invention is to provide` y an adjustable mounting for a light pro-v jector. such as a vehiclev searchlight or spotlight, such mounting being vdesigned and ar-v ranged to be set into a Wall,'fpreferably.a. front Wall of a vehicle, such as tlie'customary front 'window or Windshield.y The invention consists in vvarious features of constructionv .Figure 2V is a transverse section taken as' indicated at line 2-2 kon Figure 1, I. v

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the mount# ing taken as a section at the line.3.3 on Figure 2. i

Figure 4 1s a perspective View With partsy broken away. 1-

Figure4 5 is a perspective view ofthe two parts ofthe cylindrical carrier in disassem- .bled relation. f

Figure 6 is a front elevation of thethree Vpieces' which makeup thef-lampssupporting arm, showing them in disassembled relation'.

Figure 7 isa rear elevation of a modified form of mounting embodying 'the invention.

Figure 8 is a transverse section` taken as indicated at line 8-8 on Figure7.

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken subfv stantially as indicated at v,line 9-.-9i on Figure 8. f'- iff Figure 10 is a top plan view of; the'tvro halves of thecylindrical carrier in olis'assem` bled relation. z

Figure 11 is a front elevation of said.v parts.

F igure 12 is a side elevationof one ofthe parts shown in Figure 11 lookingzinfthe direction of the ,arroW,'12, thereon. l

The searchlight or spotlight shown ,atAN

in Figure 1 is designed forfthe usual purpose of `throwing a concentrated Ibeam o'f4 light onto a particular portion ofthe road or-onto objects such as sign posts, house `numbers-or other vehicles momentarily to] assist rthe driver in finding his Way, andthe; purpose of the particular forms of .mounting lem@ bodying thisfinvention is to position thelight for more convenient manipulation` bythe dri-verthan When it is carried at oneside `of the car bodyv as has been standard practice.

VEHICLE SEARCHLIGT -1V[OUNTING-.

24, 1925. seriaifno. 4,59a

By virtue. of thecon'structions herein shown,

the searchlight mounting may be secured firmly in an aperture `cut in the'windshield glass, B; and since the mostconvenient form ofaperture tojcut is a circular one the mounting member, 1, is made circular in outline' with a flange, 2, tov seat againstthe outer surface of the glass,lpreferably With a gasket', 3,'interposed. `In this'form the mounting includes aclamping plate, 4, and a` second gasket, @secured against the rear face of the glass, B, by. suitable screws, 6, entering the mountingv disk, 1, as-sliown iny Figure 2. The lamp body, A,is carried on ak tubular arm, 7, extending centrally. through the aperture' in. thehiwindshield, `B, .and provided at its innerfend'vvith a handle, 8. vLead Wires, 9, for the lamp, A, extend. therefromv through the hollowv arm, 7,` and preferably emerge through anopening, 10, not far backvof.. the planel of theglass, B, whence lthey extend downwardly toV any convenient connection with the usual battery, ynot shown.; such connectionis generally accessible under the instrument board` of thefvehicle directlyI below the ,Windshield y i To render the lamp,"A,fsufliciently adjustablefor its purpose, it must have a range ofgniovement horizontally and: a-range of movement verticallyso that by combi,- nation of .these `movements the beam may be 'directed upon any point Within ay fairly Wide range ahead of the vehicle. For this purposel` provide the arm, 7 with .a flat circular enlargement oi'bearingmember, V11. This circular member, 11`, issnugly fitted into a rectangularopening in' an immediate carrier, 12Which isgcylindrical in form having itsaXis extending transversely andpreferably. atright`r angles to the axis of the member,f11,"and mayjintersect it.4 Itis also preferable that the vertical axis of thecyl-` inder, 12,y lie.within vthe plane of the Wind'- Ksliiel,d-l.glassorlfWall, B, since said member, 12,'i's mounted inthe support consistingof thedisk, 1, for-rO'tationfupon its saidverticalaxis and thisrelation of they parts permits the Widest range of movement ,with the least provision lfrm-clearance.` vThe opening inthe membeigyl, provides curved upper and lower surfaces, 13, on which the curved surface of-the part, 11,i`s seated `for rotation aboutthe axis of-'the part, butl also provide trunnions, 14 and 415, engaging bearing recesses, 16k and 17, respectively. VThis rotation labout its axis and these bearing surfaces are supplemented by upper and lower trunnions, 19, entering recesses, 20, in.

the plate. To permit assembly of the parts, the plate, 1, is formed with a removable y section, 21, fitting over the upper end of the cylinder, r12, and preferablyprovided with an integral hood, 22, which will serve to exclude moisture from the upper end sur face of the cylinder, 12. If, as shown, the axis of the cylinder, 12, be placedmidway between the front and rear faces of the plate, 1, the clamping plate, 4, may be recessed at 23 to provide clearance for the maximum possible swing of the cylinder, 12,`

in this mounting.

' 'Io provide sufficient friction between the bearing surfaces of the adjustable parts for insuring that they will remain at any position of adjustment, and also to take up wear at these surfaces and exclude wind and mois-V ture so that the mounting as a wholemay serve effectively as a closure of the apern ture of the windshield in which it is seucured, IV have shown a take-up spring,`24', pocketed within the member, 11, and reacting between the boss or trunnion,14, and the separable member, 25, which telescopes within the part, 11, and is itself chambered to contain said spring, l24. Then by mak,- ing the cylinder, 12, with a separable part, 12", as'clearly shown in'Figure 5, I permit the expansive force of the spring, 24, to act with a tendency to separate said parts, 12 and 12a. Thus the spring, 24, produces fric- ,.,tion between the flat walls of the member, 11,`and the flat walls of the rectangular opening in the cylinder, 12, and also produces friction between the cylindrical outer walls of the part, 12, and the curved bear ing surfaces, 18, of the plate 1.- Preferably the member, 25, is formed with a key or tongue, 26, engaging a recess, 27, in the part, 11, to prevent its rotation therein and confine its movement to a direct sliding act-ion along the axis; and the cylinder, 12, may be formed, with projecting tongues or keys, 28, engaging slots, 29, inthe overlapping ends,

30, vof theV part, 12, for holding the i two members in the proper relation to form a substantially perfect cylinder. As indicated" in Figure 6, a clearance recess, 31, may be provided inthe part, 11, around the part, 25, to accommodate the lead wires, 9, of the lampv In Figures 7 to 12 I have shown a modified construction 'which accomplishes the same result but in some respects simplifies manufacture. In thisA arrangement the mounting plate is shown at `40, with its periphery at Ithe rear side formed with threads, 41, to receive athreaded clamping ring, 42, by which the plate is secured in -the windshield glass, B, suitable gaskets be ing interposed at 43. The lamp-carrying arzm, 44, is tubular to accommodate the leadl wires as in Ithe firstdescribed structure and rigidly associated with it is a flat cylindrical enlargement, 4.5, journaled in theverf -tically extending cylindrical carrier, .46.

The enlargement, 45, is a one-piece construction including trunnions, 47, engaging recesses, 48, in the flat walls of the opening provided in the cylinder, 46,'while its curved surfaces engage the upperl andllower arcuate surfaces, 49,. formed in the cylinder, 46.

`Said cylinder is made in two parts, 46a and 46h, with tongues, 46C, on one partengaging notches, 46d, in the othervto permit :limited lateral movement. The cylinder is pivot-ally carriedl in the plate, 40, by conevpointed trunnion screws, 50, engaging recesses formedin the tongues, 46c, and a snug lit between-its cylindricalfside walls and the` kmargins of the opening in the part, 40, is

assured by compressible packing strips, l51, in' channelled `carriers52, which are yield# mgly pressed 'against the cylinder,v 46, by

pocketed springs, 53, at one yside of the rectangular opening in the plate, 40.4 Atthe yother side a follower, 54, engages the l'channeled carrier, 52, and a cone pointed adjusting screw, 55, acting against an inclinedsurface, 56, of said follower serves to modify the pressure for frictional engagement between the packing, 51, and the cylinder, 4G. By making the halves, 46a and 46b,slightly less than semi-cylindrical so as to leave a small clearance between them when they are assembled wi'thr'thepart, 45, the pressure thus` exerted through `thev packing, 51, will ly lo immediatefcarrier 'for the arm to which the same is pivotedtransversely of the length of the arm for rocking longitudinally; asupport to which said immediatecarrier is'pivoted transversely both of the length of the arm and ofthe pivot of the armto'the carrier, said support being secured at the'wall aperture, the immediate carrier and the support 4therefor being respectively a cylinder which is long relatively to its diameter, and

a cylinder which is flat and thin relatively to its diameter, the cylindrical carrier being longitudinally divided at a plane cutting the aperture which accommodates the bearing member, and means for pivoting the latter in the former, comprising two pivotal trunnions adapted for housing between them a spring, and a spring so housed for reacting to spread the trunnions, thereby tending to spread the divided members of the cylindrical carrier for simultaneously effecting snug seating of the trunnion bearing parts in the cylindrical carrier and the parts of the cylindrical carrier in the mount.

2. In combination with an apertured wall a searchlight; an arm supporting the same and extending through the aperture of the wall, mounting means secured in the aperture, and a cylindrical carrier snugly fitting in said mounting means for rotating about its axis therein, the arm being pivotally mounted in the carrier for yadjustment about a transverse axis, said mounting being formed with a groove adjacent the cylindrical carrier, a compressible packing strip in the said groove in contact with thecarrier cylinder, and a 'follower member for said packing having a surface oblique v to the face of the packing which contacts with the 'cylinder; an adjusting screw carried in the mounting with a conical point engaging said oblique face, whereby the screw may exert pressure against the 'cylinder through the packing.

3. In the combination defined in claim 2, said mounting having a second groove adjacent the opposite side of the carrier cylinder, a packing strip lodged inv said groove and a follower spring for yieldingl'y maintaining contact of the packing with the cylinder'.

4. In combination with an apertured wall a searchlight, an arm supporting the same and extending through the aperture of the wall, mounting means secured in the aperture, and a cylindrical carrier snugly fitted in said mounting, means for rotating about its axis therein, the arm being pivotallyvmounted in the carrier for adjustment about a transverse axis, ysaid carrier being composed of two parts separable at a plane transverse to the axis at which the arm is pivoted in the carrier, the pivotal mounting of the arm including flat surfaces parallel to said plane, adapted to be gripped between the two parts of the cylindrical carrier; adjustable means in the mounting engaging opposite sides of said cylindrical carrier, and means for Varying the pressure of such engagement for adjustably clamping the cylinder inthe amount and the arm between the two parts of the cylinder.

5. In the combination defined in claim 4, said adjustable means extending from the mounting for access at the side thereof opposite that from which the searchlight extends on the arm.

6. In combination with an apertured wall,

a search light or the like, having an arm by j which it is carried, extendingvtransversely of said wall; mounting means secured in said aperture; a cylindrical carrier supported in said mounting and yadapted to be rotated therein about its axis; said arm being provided with a bearing member, comprising a circular disc which is-pivotally mounted in said carrier at an axisr transverse both to the axis of the carrier and tothe longitudinal yaxis of said arm, whereby to provide a relatively -widerange of vertical and horizontal adjustment of the arm -carrying the search light or the like; and means co-operating with said carrier formaintain` 1n any lng said arm with the search light adjusted position.

7. In combination with an apertured wall, a search light 'or the like, having an arm by which it is carried, extending transverse- Sla ly of said wall; mounting means secured in*l n `ingly engage said carrier whereby a portion of the lateral surface thereof is subjected to frictional contact with -the mounting joint and maintain the arm in any position.

adjusted In testimony whereof. I have hereunto seti my hand atvChicago, Illinois, this 23rd day of January, 1925.

WALTER VANl GUILDER. j l

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means, to secure a substantially waterproof.

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